Connected car service provider Inrix – which provides traffic, weather and charging point information for brands including Audi, Ford, and Toyota – has acquired app platform OpenCar, in an attempt to challenge Apple’s CarPlay and Google Android Auto media systems.
Inrix claims it is now able to offer the industry’s first ‘open, end-to-end media platform’, which allows car makers to completely customise how the software works.
Unlike Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay, which require access to car data and limit manufacturer customisation, Inrix claims OpenCar’s framework is controlled by the manufacturer, allowing them to create brand, model or region specific touch and voice control features, with control over how vehicle data is used and stored remaining with the car maker.
The existing OpenCar app provides details of nearby accommodation and parking, with city guides, audiobooks and internet radio also available. In addition, manufacturers are able to provide over-the-air updates,
“Today, over half of the connected vehicles in the world use Inrix services. By 2020, more than a quarter of a billion connected cars will be on the road,” said Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of Inrix.
“With the OpenCar acquisition, Inrix is in the driver’s seat to provide those connected services and expand into the digital dashboard with unique, easy-to-use applications designed especially for next-gen automotive experiences.”